The Charge of the Light Brigade
Alfred, Lord Tennyson

1. What is the meaning of this poem?

2. What is the poem about?

3. How does this poem relate to your life?

4. What author's craft permeates this poem?


1.Half a league, half a league,
external image space.gif Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
external image space.gif Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
external image space.gif Rode the six hundred.
2."Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
external image space.gif Someone had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
external image space.gif Rode the six hundred.
3.Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
external image space.gif Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
external image space.gif Rode the six hundred.
4.Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air,
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
external image space.gif All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre stroke
external image space.gif Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
external image space.gif Not the six hundred.
5.Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
external image space.gif Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
external image space.gif Left of six hundred.
6.When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
external image space.gif All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
external image space.gif Noble six hundred.